Rick Potter
09-21-2022, 1:00 AM
I bought some Ash lumber at an estate sale , and was told it had beetle and worm holes in some of it. I stored it outside on a covered porch with cement floor for maybe 5 years. It came from a hillside basement with a dirt floor when I got it. I was told it was under there for a long time.
I moved it all (15 good size pieces in various thicknesses) and hosed it off to remove the dirt and check for bug action. I see some holes, usually near knots that a pencil fits in, and some worm squiggles that were visible from when they ripped the trunk. I see no obvious new action on the wood.
So...Does the insect attack continue through generations of new insects, on wood that is dead and cut up, or are all the holes as old as I think (hope)? I would like very much to make some small tables and benches out of it. I stored it where I did, because I didn't want to store it in my shop or a wooden shed.
Am I wasting my time?
Should I cut out the wormy areas visible and use the clean appearing wood?
There are some very large knots, that I will cut out anyway, leaving me with 4-6' boards, some 6/4 14" wide, some 4X6, some 4/4 also.
What I want to do is cut the lengths down to 6', clean out the knotty and gnarled stuff and store just the good useable stuff in a metal shed for use.
What happens if I make a bench out of it and a worm pops out next year? Will it eat my house?
Advice appreciated.
I moved it all (15 good size pieces in various thicknesses) and hosed it off to remove the dirt and check for bug action. I see some holes, usually near knots that a pencil fits in, and some worm squiggles that were visible from when they ripped the trunk. I see no obvious new action on the wood.
So...Does the insect attack continue through generations of new insects, on wood that is dead and cut up, or are all the holes as old as I think (hope)? I would like very much to make some small tables and benches out of it. I stored it where I did, because I didn't want to store it in my shop or a wooden shed.
Am I wasting my time?
Should I cut out the wormy areas visible and use the clean appearing wood?
There are some very large knots, that I will cut out anyway, leaving me with 4-6' boards, some 6/4 14" wide, some 4X6, some 4/4 also.
What I want to do is cut the lengths down to 6', clean out the knotty and gnarled stuff and store just the good useable stuff in a metal shed for use.
What happens if I make a bench out of it and a worm pops out next year? Will it eat my house?
Advice appreciated.